The Loop of History
by WizMonCruWil
Summary: So, this is a re-working of What Family Means. There is no Teddy Lupin this time, and the family dynamic is not the same. And there is a new character. Also, there is a new Prophecy regarding a certain child of the Golden Trio….
1. Chapter 1: The Dust Settles?

**Chapter 1: The Dust Settles?**

Harry Potter stood in the courtyard of Hogwarts, fingering the Elder Wand. After a long silence, he used it to repair his own broken wand. Another pause, and then, in a sudden burst of anger, Harry snapped the most powerful wand on earth like a twig.

This damn wand, coupled with Voldemort and the split pieces of his soul, was the reason so many lay dead or dying in the Great Hall of the castle behind him. Yet, he too was responsible for so many lives lost, though many would try and deny it. Because of him, so many were gone.

 _Gone_. The death toll of name after name after name marched through his head like its own funeral procession. Cedric. Sirius. Dumbledore. Mad-Eye Moody. Tonks. Lupin. Colin Creevey. Fred. Dobby. _Gone_.

Harry walked slowly back into the castle, to the Great Hall, where he was met with more bodies of people he had known, and a whole new wave of grief hit him.

George. Bill. Fleur. Charlie. Percy. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. And, worst of all, Ginny. All the Weasleys. _Gone_.

And, finally, came the two people who had been his whole world. The two people whom he had loved more than anyone in the world. The two people he had viewed as a brother and a sister. Ron and Hermione. _Gone_.

 _Gone_. The word echoed like a bell toll in his head. _Gone. Gone._

 _Gone._

A small wail made Harry look down. He had almost completely forgotten what else he was holding: a baby, the product of a love between his two best friends that he had never fully understood. His goddaughter, now an orphan, just as he had been. Rose Weasley had been born in the wee hours of that morning, May 2nd, 1998. Minutes later, her mother had passed on to join the father, who had died protecting them in battle. Now, Harry realized, with a jolt, this little girl was the last of her family; the last of the Weasleys.

His thoughts were interrupted when Professor McGonagall came bustling towards him. "Potter? What are you doing? You must be exhausted! Get up to your Common Room right now and put yourself and the little one to sleep!"

Harry gave a forced smile and nod. He had always been found of his Head of House, who was now the de facto Headmistress of Hogwarts. "Yes, ma'am," he said and returned to his Common Room without another word.

He approached the Fat Lady portrait. It swung open before he could even give the password; that stuff didn't matter anymore. He was met by the surviving members of Dumbledore's Army. Upon seeing Rose, everyone stared. Then, they rushed Harry eagerly, especially the girls.

"Who is that, Harry?"

"What's it doing here, Harry?"

"Oh, can I just hold her, Harry?"

Harry held up a hand to silence everyone. "This," he said slowly, "is Ron and Hermione's daughter. Her name is Rose." There was a gasp from some of the members who had not been present in the Room of Requirement the day before to see Hermione's bloating stomach.

Seamus Finnegan gave an awkward laugh. "Someone was actually born during this bloody battle? One birth in exchange for so much death? Guess we should start calling her the Girl Who Lived, eh, Harry?"

Everyone else laughed. "Yeah," Neville agreed, than his expression changed as he peered at the infant. "She came from Heaven and landed in Hell," he muttered darkly. Never were words so true.

Harry absentmindedly slipped a hand into his pocket, and felt the glass vial inside. He then remembered how Hermione had released some of her memories to him on her deathbed, as Snape had done the night before. Harry was curious to discover what those memories contained.

"I have to go to Dumbledore's office," Harry told the group at large. "Would you lot mind taking care of Rose' till I get back? Get her to bed soon, though." He passed the infant to Lavender Brown, who held her awkwardly (for obvious reasons), but nonetheless eagerly. Harry left Neville, Seamus and Dean trying to find something to transfigure into a crib and Lavender, the Patil twins, Cho and Luna gently fighting over who got to hold Rose as she was passed from person to person.

* * *

Harry had no trouble getting into Dumbledore's office, and soon the Pensieve stood before him. He emptied Hermione's memories into it and then paused. He felt as though going into the Pensieve would be a major invasion of her privacy. But, he shook his head, muttered, "I must be out of my mind," and plunged his head in.

The first few memories were ones he himself carried. He saw Hermione reuniting with them after becoming un-Petrified and the awkward exchange when she and Ron almost hugged and then didn't. He saw them fighting at the end of the Yule Ball over Victor Krum. A night in the Gryffindor Common Room was next, in which the three had been sitting by the fireplace after Harry kissed Cho Chang, and Hermione told Ron he had "the emotional range of a teaspoon" before the three busted up laughing. He saw Hermione by Ron's bedside in the hospital wing after he was poisoned sixth year, and her reaction when Ron murmured her name in his sleep. Then came the aftermath of the Battle of the Seven Potters at the Burrow, where Hermione fiercely hugged Ron when he came back unharmed.

Throughout all of this, Harry was confused. _Alright, Hermione, what are you trying to tell me?_ He thought. _This is nothing new; I already know all this_.

As if to answer his question, the next memory landed him in an upstairs bedroom in Grimmauld Place. Harry looked around. He was nowhere to be seen. He saw Ron and Hermione talking and then heard a melody float up to them from somewhere downstairs.

"Hermione," Ron was saying. "Since we don't know if we are going to come out of this alive, I need to tell you something."

"I'm not afraid to die." Hermione said, interrupting his train of thought. "I've been dying a little bit every day since you came into my life."

Ron looked as though his heart had almost stopped. "What are you talking about?"

She looked at him with a sad smile. "I love you," she said quietly.

"Y-You love me?" Ron repeated in amazement.

Hermione looked at him quizzically. "Something wrong? I'm sorry, I-"

"No, it's alright, it's just that…I was going to tell you the same thing."

Hermione smiled and hesitantly leaned forward. Ron stretched towards her and for the first time, their lips met.

Though he knew that Ron and Hermione must have somehow quit dancing around their feelings for each other, Harry's mouth still fell open in shock. The scene faded, only to rapidly reappear a moment later.

Harry was in for another shock as he spied his two friends in bed, naked, making passionate love. Hermione was laughing as Ron kissed and licked her ears, nose, mouth, everywhere, like a hungry puppy.

"Oh, Ronald!" she giggled. Ron did not let up, and Harry winced uncomfortably when he spoke, his voice husky.

"Come on, love, let's do this. I told you, we might never get another chance. Do you know how long I've waited for you?"

The pair rolled around under the sheets, laughing. The scene faded.

Harry stood there for a moment, stunned from the sight he had just witnessed. Now, he definitely felt like he was invading Hermione's privacy. That must have been the night Rose was conceived. His two best friends had had sex in what was technically his house, right under his nose, on the start of a life-threatening mission. He didn't know what to feel, elation or anger or something else.

The mist cleared again to start the next memory. Ron and Harry were practically nose-to-nose, yelling at each other. The present-day Harry felt a new set of pain take him; it was the night Ron had abandoned them on the hunt.

"You're parents are dead! You have no family!" Ron was yelling at the memory Harry. Each launched himself at the other, fighting physically for the first time in their friendship. Hermione screamed as she watched the two men she cared for most in the world slug it out. After a moment, she came to her senses and erupted a Shielding Charm between them. Ron threw off the locket Horcrux and then wheeled on Hermione.

"Well, are you coming or staying?"

"I…I…yes, Ron, I'm staying. We promised Harry we'd help."

"I get it. You choose him. I saw you two last night," Ron growled. He stormed out of the tent.

"Ron, that's nothing! Please come back! Please!" Ron just kept on walking as Hermione followed and suddenly, the former turned back, gave her a disgusted look, and Disapparated.

"No, Ron, please! You don't understand!" Hermione screamed desperately as he disappeared. She collapsed onto the grass, breaking down. Finally, she choked softly through her tears, "I'm…pregnant."

The real Harry wanted to desperately help her, but then the memory Harry came out of the tent a few moments later and helped her inside. The scene faded.

The next memory showed all three of them in the tent again. At first, Harry thought the memories were out of order, until he saw the Sword of Gryffindor propped up in the corner. This must have taken place a few days after Ron returned. Ron was trying to talk with Hermione, but she was giving him the silent treatment.

"Bloody hell, Hermione how long are you going to stay angry with me? I said I was sorry!"

Hermione finally cracked. "As long as you were away from us! I think that's appropriate! You abandoned us, Ron! That's not something I can easily forgive!"

The Memory Harry was watching them row, moving his head back and forth like he was witnessing a tennis match, as he fingered the destroyed locket.

"I know that! But, being angry right now is only getting in the way of what we have to do! So, if you could just find it in your heart to forgive…"

"I'm pregnant. With your child," Hermione burst out suddenly. Memory Harry's mouth fell open. Ron looked just as shocked, but quickly broke into a grin.

"Bloody hell…are you serious?" Hermione nodded, her expression blank. Before she could evade him, Ron picked her up and swirled her around in his arms, and soon both were laughing as though the fight had never happened.

"Fantastic," Memory Harry said sarcastically, and he carelessly tossed away the locket. "This is just fantastic!" Ron and Hermione paused in their rejoicing to look at him.

"Something wrong, Harry?" asked Ron as innocently as he could.

"Oh, no, no, no, nothing's wrong. It's just, it dawned on me that we now have a KNOCKED UP WOMAN ON THIS MISSION! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WE'VE GOT AHEAD OF US? AND NOW WE HAVE THIS TO DEAL WITH? WE ARE SCREWED! DO YOU HEAR ME? SCREWED!"

"Bloody hell, Harry, clam down! Hey, you didn't know, I didn't know, Hermione probably didn't know until recently…"

"Actually, I did know," Hermione said quietly. "I've known ever since just before you left, Ron." Memory Harry stared at her and then slowly advanced, his voice dangerously low.

"Do you mean to tell me that you've known you were pregnant for over two months and you _didn't tell me?!_ "

Hermione was now beginning to lose her patience. "Hey, look, I'm sorry, but it is what it is now! With the war going on, Ron and I felt we shouldn't leave anything unsaid. I didn't think that this might happen!"

"Well, you should've thought of that, Hermione, before you opened up your legs!" Harry spat. Hermione gasped dramatically, horrified at what Harry had just said. Ron stepped in between them and towered up to his full height in front of Harry.

"I can see where this is going," he said in soft anger. "Think it's your turn now to walk away, Harry? You be my guest- better do it quick before I throw you out of this tent." Silence reigned until Harry went fuming out of the tent. Hermione began to cry and rushed into Ron's arms.

"Do y-you th-th-think he'll come b-b-back?" she sobbed.

"Course he will," Ron said. "He just needs some air." Then, he joked, "He can't walk out on his own mission, now, can he?"

The mist returned. Real Harry felt guilty over how he had acted. If only he'd known then what he knew now about Rose.

The mist parted briefly, opening up to Malfoy Manor. Harry fought the urge to squeeze his eyes shut as he watched Bellatrix torture Hermione, who was lying on her stomach on the floor. "CRUCIO!" Hermione screamed, and then whimpered in pain as her hand flew instinctively to her belly, as if she was trying to shield her unborn child from the torture. Far below, Harry could hear the panicked screams of Ron echo up to them…

The mist closed and then, after a moment, faded away. Harry now found himself in Shell Cottage. Hermione was lying awake in bed, clearly still recuperating from her torture. Ron was in a chair next to her, holding her hand.

"I'm feeling better. Fleur says the baby made it through. It must be very strong, to withstand the Cruciatus Curse." Ron didn't answer. After a moment of silence, he looked up.

"Will you marry me?" he asked her unexpectedly. Hermione was surprised, but quickly tried to recover.

"Oh, Ron, yes! I'd love to, but we have too much to worry about right now. Can't it wait until after the war?"

"No, now!" Ron insisted.

"Ron, doesn't it make more sense to do that after-"

"There may not be an after! Don't you understand?" Ron got down on his knees, still holding Hermione's hand. "Hermione, remember when you told me you thought we should not leave anything unsaid? Well, I think this should be included. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that may be. If we do die in this thing, I want us to be together in a way other than just friends or lovers."

"But what about Harry-"

"I don't want to hear about Harry," Ron said sharply. "I'm not exactly happy with him at the moment. You know, after he went mental about the baby, basically called you a slut without actually saying so, and then said You-Know-Who's name when he knew it was Tabooed and caused you to be tortured! Therefore, I don't want him at the wedding."

Hermione's mouth fell open. "Ron, that is so unfair!"

"Oh, so you've already forgiven him after how many times he's dropped the Quaffle?"

Hermione paused. "No," she admitted.

Ron softened. "You've been worried that our relationship would get in the way of the mission. Well, it hasn't too much and won't, no matter what Harry says. He's going to leave tomorrow evening to stake out Gringotts under the Cloak. He should be back late. We could get married, right on the beach, while he's gone. Cause, honestly, this may be the last chance we have while we're at relative peace before things get really ugly." His eyes pleaded with her. "Please, Hermione?"

Hermione looked torn. She wanted to make Ron happy, but she didn't want to hurt Harry. Still, it was better for the baby to be born in wedlock. It was bad enough that it had been conceived out of it. "Alright," she whispered finally. Ron grinned like a fool and slipped a simple engagement ring onto Hermione's finger. "You'll get the big one tomorrow," he told her.

The scene faded. Moments later, the mist cleared to reveal the beach in front of Shell Cottage. The sun was setting over the waves in the horizon beyond. Ron and Hermione were wearing borrowed wedding garb from Bill and Fleur. A priest was in front. The only people in attendance were Bill and Fleur, Dean, Luna and Mr. Ollivander. Griphook, the goblin, must have still been upstairs resting. Ron and Hermione said their vows, were blessed and then tenderly kissed. The receding daylight only made them glow more.

Mist descended one last time, and then cleared soon after. Harry watched as his best friends consummated their marriage in Hermione's bed at Shell Cottage. The moon was high in the sky, so Harry assumed he had returned from his scout-ahead mission in Diagon Alley. He recalled that he had stayed up all night that night playing Exploding Snap with Bill and going over the plan in his head. Absolutely nothing had indicated to him that something very important had happened in his absence.

"We should probably get some sleep," Ron panted in between kisses. Beads of sweat glistened along his hairline and his body seemed to be convulsing from the effort of having sex. Hermione was not paying any attention, as she lay on top of her new husband and continued to trail kisses down his body. "Hermione…" Ron groaned in an attempt to broach the subject again. Instead, Hermione flipped Ron so that he now lay on top of her.

"Hush, Ronald. I need you inside me. Now. Besides, the more sex we have, the deeper we'll sleep, and we'll be well rested for tomorrow."

Ron grinned. "Your logic for wanting my body is impeccable, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione arched her back up towards Ron to whisper in his ear.

"Say my new name again."

Ron grinned and repeated it, his voice dripping with ecstasy at every syllable. He began to suck on Hermione's neck as she stared up at the ceiling. She soon spoke.

"Ron, what happens when Harry finds out about this? About our marriage? Do you think we did the right thing?" When no response was forthcoming, she half-heartedly snapped, "Are you even listening?" Ron emerged and looked at her lovingly. "No. You know me, I can only focus on one…thing…at a time," he explained, punctuating the last few words with a kiss. "If Harry finds out, he finds out. I don't worry about how he might react and neither should you. He has not supported _us_ so far, and so I don't think he deserves to have his opinion regarded. Maybe he'll learn a lesson." And with that, he resumed making love to his wife. Hermione joined in with enthusiasm, her worries from moments ago gone. Harry stared at his friends. Both seemed at peace and full of bliss and _happy_.

Darkness surrounded Harry as he was pulled back up out of the Pensieve. He lay on the floor of Dumbledore's office, sobbing. He had hurt his friends deeply for not understanding about Rose…and payed for it. They had gotten married in secret…without him! Harry had always known Ron and Hermione's interactions with each other had been different than the ones he had with each of them, so he had figured that when they finally got together, he would accept them. It turns out he had been blinded by the Horcrux hunt and unintentionally driven them away. Now…now he couldn't even tell them he was sorry. Harry now only cried harder; he screamed, calling out to an empty room.

"Forgive me, Ron and Hermione! Forgive me!" he bawled.

 _But, maybe you already have been forgiven_ , a voice in his head reasoned. _Hermione made you Rose's godfather, didn't she?_

This was true. _Yeah, she entrusted her child to an insensitive prat, a fool of a wizard who got her and her husband killed_ , Harry thought. He cried and cried until everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2: Break Out of Hogwarts

**Chapter 2: Break Out of Hogwarts**

Harry must have fallen asleep on the floor of Dumbledore's office, for he felt himself being shaken vehemently awake. "Potter! Potter! Wake up!" McGonagall's voice said frantically.

Harry awoke. The sky was dark outside; it was definitely night now. He was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes as McGonagall hustled him, none too gently, out the door and through the corridors. "The Death Eaters have regrouped," she told him in a rush. "Their Dark Lord is dead, and they are mad. They want your blood and will stop at nothing to spill it. We've discovered they are preparing to attack the castle even as we speak." Harry's heart sank. So, this wasn't over. Everyone was in danger again because of him.

"Your classmates want to help you and little Miss Weasley out of the castle. Longbottom thinks he has a plan to do just that. He'll explain," McGonagall continued as she practically pushed Harry into the Gryffindor Common Room, then raced away. Harry found Neville, Seamus and Dean waiting for him.

"Where's Rose?" Harry asked.

"In our room, asleep," Neville told him. "You know about what's going on?"

Harry nodded. "What's the plan, Captain Neville?" Neville smiled and proceeded to explain.

* * *

A little while later, the distant screams of battling wizards reached Harry's ears. The Death Eaters had arrived. Harry was now holding a still-sleeping Rose, surrounded by his Dumbledore's Army students.

"Alright, so, you know me and my team's job," Harry said. "You also know your risks. If any of you lot don't want any part of this, go back to your dormitories." Nobody moved, and Michael Corner shook his head.

"We fight for you, Harry," he told him. "We won't let them trash you – or that little girl - just because their sore losers."

The screams grew closer. This was it. "Right, then. Dumbledore's Army, forward!" Neville called. "Do your duty!" Everyone rushed out of the Common Room, shouting battle cries, except for Harry, Neville, Seamus and Dean. The four proceeded to take cover in the shadows of the dormitory staircases, two to each side.

The plan was brilliant. Crazy, but brilliant. Dumbledore's Army would battle the Death Eaters outside, defending the Gryffindor Common Room. Through some coordinated and choreographed battle tactics, the group would "let in" 4 Death Eaters. Once inside, Harry and his team would Stun or kill them, don the Death Eaters' robes and masks and slip out of the Common Room. These four would wear their D.A. coins on chains around their neck, to signal to the other members who they were so they wouldn't be harmed. They would then proceed up to the Astronomy Tower, where Harry would fly from to Hagrid's hut. He would be there waiting with a "more secure form of transportation," according to Neville. From there, though no one knew this, Harry planned to go to Australia and track down Hermione's parents to restore their memories. He knew where to go, as he had found and nicked off of Hermione a small piece of parchment with an address on it once she had died.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted when the Common Room door creaked open, and then swung ominously shut. _Here they come,_ Harry sighed to himself.

"Potter's got to be in here," a voice said. "That horde of students wouldn't be guarding this place if he wasn't."

Harry peeked over the banister quickly. There were four masked Death Eaters searching around the fireplace and furniture, just as Neville had promised. "He better be here," another growled. "I want to Crucio him till he can't see straight." Behind him, Harry felt Neville stiffen. The latter's parents had been driven insane by that very spell. Harry glanced back across the center landing, where he could just make out Seamus and Dean. They nodded silently to each other. Harry held up three fingers and counted down. "Three…two…one." He breathed softly. The four leapt up and sent hails of curses at the Death Eaters.

"Stupefy!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Rictusempra!"

"Stupefy!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

The Death Eaters were cursed silly. They didn't stand a chance. Two lay Stunned, one dead and another was Rictusemprad.

"Okay, step two!" Neville hissed.

"I thought we'd be dead by step two, so this is going great!" Seamus crowed.

"Come on, let's get 'em," Harry ordered. The students wiped the memories of the evil wizards and donned their Death Eater costumes. Harry opened Hermione's beaded bag. Inside, along with a few of his key possessions, was Rose. Unfortunately, the scrimmage had woken her up. When she saw Harry's Death Eater mask, she began to cry. Harry quickly took it off, calmed her down and then closed the bag before replacing the mask.

"Come on!" Dean hissed. "We have to move, let's go!" Harry, Neville, Seamus and Dean stepped out of the Common Room and into the battle in front of it. They played their parts well, pretending to shoot curses at their classmates, but missing intentionally, so they hit Death Eaters instead. No one suspected a thing. They weren't impeded, either, thanks to the D.A. coins. Except when Seamus was accidentally hit with Stupefy. His friends had to pick him up and drag him along until he came to.

The fighting in other parts of the castle was lighter than at the Common Room. The four finally reached the Astronomy Tower and climbed the spiral staircase rapidly to the top. "Step three!" Neville rambled off. Harry was sweating under his costume, so he removed his mask and started digging through the beaded bag before pulling out his Firebolt. The four then bid their goodbyes and Harry prepared to depart.

But someone was coming. Suddenly, Harry could hear voices coming up the stairs. And they weren't friendly. Everyone froze. "The Carrows!" gasped Seamus, wide-eyed.

"Shit!" Harry swore, and before he even had finished thinking through what he was doing, he dove into the hole created by the spiral staircase, and attempted to blend in with the darkness. He watched as the Carrows walked up the steps right past him to the top of the tower.

"What are you lot doing up here?" Alecto Carrow roared. "Don't you know there's a battle going on downstairs?" Neville, Seamus and Dean kept silent, for fear their voices would blow their cover. Amycus Carrow peered at them, then began to casually pace around the room.

"Strange, we found 4 of our mates lying naked in the Gryffindor Common Room, and there are 3 of you here…and some of Potter's best fighters have yet to make an appearance." She stepped closer to them. "Isn't that right?...Neville Longbottom!" She suddenly brushed her wand across all three masks, revealing the students. "Alright, you lot, out with it! Where's Potter?"

"I don't know what you're talking about…Professor!" Neville spat mockingly. Amycus slapped him across the face.

"Don't lie to me, Longbottom! You and your friends helped him out of the castle, didn't you? _Didn't you?!_ " she shrieked. She fingered her wand when no one answered her. "Well, we have ways of making you talk," she purred. "Shall I use Veritaserum? Or… no, I think Crucio would be quite fitting for you, Longbottom, since your family has experience with it."

Harry listened to this entire exchange while hanging by his fingertips from the Astronomy Tower floor, his Firebolt clutched between his knees. Suddenly, a loud whimper emitted from the beaded bag slung over his shoulder. Harry desperately tried to shush Rose. Amycus wheeled around at the sounds.

"He's still here…" she breathed. Harry could see Neville from his hiding place and their eyes met. Neville mouthed one word to him: _Go!_

Amycus carefully approached the hole in the floor. Just as she peered down into it, Harry shot up on his Firebolt, running right into her. She fell to the floor, dazed. Harry exchanged brief fire with Alecto before zooming out of the Tower and into the night.

"Go, Harry, go!" Seamus roared. The three friends were soon battling a recovered Amycus. "Alecto!" she screamed. "Go get the boy! Don't come back 'till he's dead!" Alecto used his Death Eater powers to fly after Harry.

Harry weaved through the skies above the Hogwarts grounds. He was just beginning to relax when suddenly Alecto appeared out of nowhere and grabbed at him. The two tussled as the Firebolt bobbed and pitched. Harry felt himself flip upside down, so he was hanging onto the underside of the broom, Alecto above him. He knew he couldn't last much longer against the Death Eater, so he did the only thing he could: let go. Harry fell down, down, down before he plunged into the Black Lake far below. Alecto just kept on flying as he tried to steady the unpredictable broom he now found himself solely occupying.

Harry didn't know if the beaded bag would shield Rose from the water, but he wasn't going to wait to find out. He immediately reversed trajectory and shot to the surface, gasping as he broke through the water. He dragged himself on shore, luckily by Hagrid's hut, for he could see its lights glowing not far away.

"'Arry? Is that you?" a familiar voice called.

"H-Hagrid! I'm here!" Harry called. The pair soon found each other in the darkness. The giant hustled Harry into the back garden, where a familiar car was waiting. Harry stared at the beat-up Ford Anglia that had once belonged to the Weasleys, but had been stuck in the Forbidden Forest for 6 years.

Harry thanked Hagrid, and the friends tearfully said goodbye. But the troubles weren't over. Suddenly, several Death Eaters came wheeling out of the darkness, curses flying. Hagrid blocked them with his umbrella.

"Hagrid!" Harry cried, wanting to help. Hagrid shook his head.

"Go! Go!" he shouted. Harry ran for the Ford Anglia, sliding across the front hood to get around to the driver's seat. He leapt in, took Rose and the basket that held her out of the beaded bag and placed her in the passenger seat. The bag was thrown into the back. Harry desperately tried to start the engine, but he couldn't. Finally, he slammed his head onto the wheel in frustration. The engine miraculously started.

Harry took off into the skies, several Death Eaters following him, while the rest battled Hagrid. Harry knew he couldn't outrun the dark wizards for long, but luckily he had another trick up his sleeve. He glanced over at Rose and smiled. "Don't worry, Rosie, I've got us." Then, as the Anglia passed through some clouds, Harry hit the Invisibility Booster on the dash, and the car disappeared. He continued to fly, leaving the baffled Death Eaters behind.

"Next stop, Australia!" Harry crowed.


	3. Chapter 3: Crash in the Outback

**Chapter 3: Crash in the Outback, Meet the Grangers**

The one thing Harry had not prepared for was the time change. He felt as though he was travelling through an endless night, and in theory, he was. After many hours of flying, Harry could tell through magic that he was nearing the coast of Australia.

Harry pulled out a Muggle walkie-talkie. "Gillyweed, this is Scarhead. You copy? Over." After a moment, Neville's voice came through the device.

"Ten-four, Scarhead. You nearing your destination? Over."

"Affirmative, Gillyweed," said Harry as he finally took down the Invisibility Booster. "We are just about there…"

Suddenly, Death Eaters appeared on all sides and began mercilessly attacking the car. "Gillyweed, Scarhead here in the blind guard. I'm under attack!"

But Neville didn't answer. Instead, Harry's blood ran cold when he heard a Death Eater's voice rumble through the walkie-talkie "Say your prayers, Boy Who Lived!" Scuffling could then be heard and shouts that could only be Neville. It seemed as though he was locked in a life-and-death struggle for the walkie-talkie. Meanwhile, a window had broken and the Death Eaters were now trying to force their way into the Anglia. Harry desperately tried to hold them off.

Chaos reigned. All that could be heard were dark wizards yelling, Harry screaming, baby Rose wailing and Neville roaring into the device, "ATTENTION DEATH EATERS! IF YOU HURT THE ESCAPEE, WE WILL KILL YOUR LEADER! DO YOU COPY?"

Finally, Harry had had enough. He thought of one last spell. "Bombarda Exime!" he roared. The blast from the spell blew out the rest of the car windows and repelled the Death Eaters away from the vehicle. Unfortunately, it also shot the car's flying capability. The Anglia began to plunge through the darkness towards the earth. Harry desperately wrestled with the wheel, but it was no use. He screamed into the walkie-talkie, "Mayday, mayday! Scarhead is going down! Do you copy, Neville? Anyone? Aboard, aboard, there is an infant aboard this vehicle!"

Back in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts, the walkie-talkie blared out the message from the floor. No one was touching it, and the Death Eaters were restraining surviving fighters from the Order and D.A.

"NO!" screamed Lavender and some of the girls when they heard about Rose.

"Call off your mates, I'll do anything!" Neville pleaded.

"Too late!" Lucius Malfoy, the Death Eater's de facto leader, laughed with glee. "Eighteen years too late!"

Back in Australia, Harry could see water closing in fast; he was going to crash into the sea!

"Aboard, aboard, aboard!" No answer. "Aboard, aboard, aboard!" There was no time; he was finished. Harry threw off his seatbelt, seized baby Rose and launched them both into the back seat. Seconds later, there was a humungous splash and the air bags blew from the front.

But the car didn't sink. It jolted to a stop. Harry opened his eyes.

The Anglia had crashed into shallow water right on the Australian coast. The vehicle was submerged from the tires down in ocean and wet sand.

Harry barely had time to relax when he heard the whoozes of Death Eaters overhead. He scrambled out through a window and into the water, wading as fast as he could to shore. He sprinted up the beach and raced into a cave carved out of a cliff face using the light from his wand. Harry didn't stop until he was deep inside before throwing himself onto the rocky floor, panting.

Moments passed like hours. Harry finally heard a Death Eater call, "He went into the cliffs!" A pause and then a second voice grumbled, "We'll never find him in there! Come on, let's let Potter die an animal's death!" The Death Eaters laughed and disappeared back for England.

Harry lay there a few moments more, trying to catch his breath. Finally, he sat up and consoled a whimpering Rose. Amazingly, he still had all his belongings with him. He pulled the slip of parchment from his soaked jeans. Though slightly smudged, the address was still readable, even from the light of his wand. He thought of the address and Disapparated.

It turned out that he could have walked there, for when Harry appeared in front of a coastal house, he could still see his cliff in the distance. He marched right up to the Granger's front door and knocked feverishly. After several agonizing seconds, Mrs. Granger opened the door. She looked slightly baffled and peeved as to who would be calling at this time of night.

"I need help," Harry rambled, which was the truth. "I hate to bother you, but I've gotten into an accident. And I have a baby!" Mrs. Granger ushered the frazzled boy inside and called out, "Wendell! We have someone here in trouble! Make some tea!" Mr. Granger, as Wendell Wilkins, rushed for the stove. Harry sat down heavily on the living room sofa. He had barely noticed Mrs. Granger take Rose from him; she was now cooing at the child softly.

"I wish I had had a child of my own," Hermione's mother said wistfully. Harry gulped, trying to process how best to deal with a brainwashed Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Mr. Granger came in from the kitchen and thrust a cup of tea into his hands. "Drink this, son," the man encouraged. Harry did nervously. He could hear Mr. and Mrs. Granger whispering in hushed tones to each other about him.

Finally, he could take the awkwardness no longer. As the adults still discussed furtively, Harry suddenly whipped out his wand and shouted the countercurse to Obliviate. A blue light filled the room, then disappeared. Harry waited as Hermione's parents took in their surroundings dazedly, as if they had just awoken from a dream.

"Richard, where are we?" asked Mrs. Granger nervously. She looked down at Rose. "Why am I holding a baby?" She turned to Harry "And who are you?"

Richard Granger tried to catch up with his wife's ramblings. "I don't know, Carol, but-"

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Harry interrupted. Both stopped to look at him. "My name is Harry Potter. I w- am a friend of your daughter's…Hermione?"

Carol's eyes immediately widened at the mention of her daughter's name. "But of course I know you! Hermione's told us all about you. But where is she?"

Harry froze. He didn't want to have to break the tragic news to them, even though he had to. So, instead, he answered, "She couldn't come."

Carol stepped closer to him. She was clearly nervous about her daughter's absence, as she kept bombarding Harry with questions.

"When will we get to see her?"

"Once you're home."

"But can't we call her?"

"I don't have a telephone."

"But we have ours! Richard, phone Hermione!"

"You can't! She told me she would be busy 'round this time…"

"Oh, she wouldn't pass up a call from her own mother…"

"Mrs. Granger, you don't understand…"

"I have to speak with my daughter…"

"HERMIONE IS DEAD!"

Silence filled the living room. Carol blinked rapidly, her mouth hanging open. "W- what?" Harry was on his feet, breathing heavily. He didn't know what had made him crack like this, but it felt good and painful all at the same time to finally come clean.

"She's…she's dead," Harry repeated shakily, and tried to resist the tears that were threatening to invade his eyes. He was surprised and slightly angered when Mrs. Granger gave a nervous laugh.

"Oh, my dear boy, don't be silly!" she trilled. "Hermione isn't dead!" But it was clear from her face she wasn't so sure; she was in denial.

"No, it's true," Harry got out, and he rambled on before either of the adults could stop him. "She wiped your memories so you'd forget about her, she sent you here to keep you safe during the war in our world. She went with me on a mission to find important objects to defeat a very bad wizard- Voldemort, maybe she mentioned him. She died during a big battle, I couldn't save her, and-" here, he pointed at Rose "- and the little girl you're holding is her child. Your grandchild."

Neither of Hermione's parents said a word. Suddenly, with a strangled cry, Richard launched himself at Harry, grabbed him by the shirt collar and threw him to the ground. The two men wrestled on the floor, Richard trying to strangle Harry and Harry trying his best to fight back without hurting the grieving father.

"Richard!" Carol screamed at her husband, but he ignored her. When he couldn't get a good grip on Harry's neck, he hauled the boy up and effectively pinned him to the wall.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY LITTLE GIR?! YOU IMPREGNATED HER! MY BABY! I SHOULD KILL YOU! I SHOULD BLOODY KILL YOU!" and he began to punch every inch of Harry he could reach, Harry desperately trying to avoid the blows. Richard found his mark most of the time, and Harry's cheeks ran with tears of physical pain and sorrow.

Finally, Harry's gentle protests faded. He ducked a swing from Richard, grabbed the man by his shirt collar and screamed in his face: "I AM NOT THE FATHER, DAMMIT!" The men stood nose to nose, the sound of their heavy breathing the only sound in the room. Harry finally completely broke down. He sank to his knees, still clutching Mr. Granger's collar.

"I'm-I'm not the f-father! M-my best mate, Ron Weasley, s-s-she m-m-must have told you a-a-about him – they- they were in love, they had this baby, and-and they got married…and I wasn't there! I wasn't there! She- she made me Rose's guardian…but I wasn't there!" he blubbered incoherently.

Mr. Granger softened for an instant, and then hardened again. "Where is he?" he hissed. "Where is this Ron? I'll teach that promiscuous little bastard not to mess with my daughter!" He flew about in a rage, opening drawers and doors, clearly looking for something.

"You won't have to," Harry moaned. "He's dead, too." He looked up from his tears to see Mr. Granger holding a rifle. A pause and then…

"You said she and this bloke went on a mission with you?"

"Yes."

"And they died during this mission, is that correct?"

"That's right."

Mr. Granger was silent, considering these words. "Well, then…" he said softly, then suddenly, "YOU CAN JUST GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE, BOY!" He brought the rifle up fast. Harry was not even aware that he had thrown himself out of the way as Richard fired, blasting a hole in the floor where Harry had been just seconds before.

"Richard, please!" yelled Carol, as her granddaughter began to scream and wail. But her husband didn't care. He was irrational.

Harry barely had time to gasp, "What?" before he was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and dragged roughly toward the door. Richard didn't stop until he had hurled Harry off the front porch and into the sand.

"YOU HEARD ME! OUT! OUT!" he screeched, his voice so high-pitched only dogs would be able to hear it now. "YOU KILLED HER, DIDN'T YOU?"

"No. No! I-I mean yes! Yes, I may as well have killed her-"

"SHUT UP! YOU- YOU KILLED HER! LEADING HER OFF ON SOME DAMNED FOOL'S MISSION! YOU AND YOUR BLOODY WIZARD CRAP!" He waved the rifle above his head like a madman. "STAY OFF MY LAND! STAY OFF MY PROPERTY! STAY AWAY FROM MY GRANDDAUGHTER! DON'T YOU DARE COME NEAR MY FAMILY EVER AGAIN!"

Another shot rang out as Richard just missed Harry intentionally, the sand flaring up in the boy's face. Harry scrambled to his feet and ran for his life as Richard fired again. And again. Finally, the shots ceased as Harry disappeared into the night.


	4. Chapter 4: Harry the Exile

**Chapter 4: Harry the Exile**

The sun rose the last few inches over the stone windowsill, blinding Harry and calling him out of sleep. The Chosen One sat up groggily and watched as daylight continued it's final ascent into the heavens.

It had been over a year since Richard Granger had cast his daughter's best friend out of their home. Harry had watched from afar and waited, wondering if the Grangers would move back to England. When no move came, Harry figured they wanted to stay as far away from their memories of Hermione as possible.

Life was hard, but manageable. Harry had found a stone watchtower and deck for cannons near the cliffs that had saved his life. It must have dated back to World War II. The tiny fortress was now his home. It was wear he ate, slept and kept his meager supplies: the Invisibility Cloak, the beaded bag, the Marauder's Map, the old walkie-talkie and a picture of himself, Ron and Hermione. The Ford Anglia, which Harry had rescued from the sea and fixed by magic stood by the simple abode, its only purpose being if Harry had to take a trip anywhere into or beyond the small coastal Australian town nearby. Otherwise, the young man walked everywhere.

As the sun rose higher still, and it became late morning, Harry threw on the robes left over from his Death Eater disguise and began his daily trek out to the Granger's beach house. The sand sank slightly with ever step he took, and Harry had to just deal with it. There was sand in his clothes, in his bed, in his hair. Nothing but sand, sand, sand. Ron had always hated sand. Now, Harry knew why.

Harry slowed down as the Granger's homestead came into view. He dropped low to the ground and crawled until he could just see over the closest dune. Carol was outside playing with little Rose. Richard was up on the roof, performing a repair and stopping occasionally to watch fondly as his wife and granddaughter played. As Harry viewed the endearing scene, he saw Carol crank a little wind-up car and let it go across the sand. She laughed as Rose crawled eagerly after it. Was it just Harry's imagination, or could he feel the girl's ability to slow the car down without touching it? Had the magic already begun to flow through her half-blood veins? He was glad that the Grangers had taken their granddaughter in and raised her when he couldn't. Not after all the mistakes he had made with his two best friends. Would Ron have looked after his daughter in this same way, if he was not dead? The Boy Who Lived was sure of it. Harry wished he could tell him and Hermione, especially Hermione, that her daughter was more than cared for. She was loved.

But Hermione, sweet, sad, brilliant, beautiful Hermione, was dead, too.

Harry came back to Earth as he observed Carol scoop Rose up and carry her to the front door, where Richard was waiting, having just finished his roofing task. The three laughed and cuddled. Then, Richard glanced up and looked straight at Harry. His eyes narrowed dangerously and he gave a curt nod, as if to say _I know you're here. See, she's fine. Now, get out_. Harry froze, until he nodded back. Then, he turned, crawled down the dune and began to trudge back the way he had come.

Grandfather and Godfather were not aware of each other's presence every day, but when they were, their interaction was cold, clipped and without words. It was a vast improvement over the screaming and shooting that had happened the night Harry had arrived. Harry knew he could not physically enter the Granger's property, so he had settled for getting as close as he could without facing retribution. Honestly, it was a miracle Richard hadn't slapped a restraining order on him yet. Harry had to admit his actions did come off as a bit creepy sometimes, even to himself.

But he couldn't help it. He had to make sure Rose was okay. It was almost as if he owed it to his loved ones, as he had broken his promise to raise her. That didn't mean he couldn't keep an eye on her, albeit from afar.

Ah, well, that was done. Now, it was time to go into town to get some supplies.

* * *

On and on this routine went. The days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, the months into years. Harry continued living his life on the edge of what would be considered wilderness survival. It was like the Horcrux hunt, only ten times worse and with ten times less equipment and it never ended.

One evening, Harry was driving through town when he spotted the Grangers and 5-year-old Rose walking down the sidewalk. He pulled the Anglia into a parking space further up the street and watched as the little family entered a small restaurant/pub. It happened to be one of Harry's favorite places to go to have a drink in the pub section. Harry slipped out of the car, pulled his robe's hood over his head and followed them inside. He headed right for the bar and ordered a bottle of Scotch. The bartender practically threw the drink at him; he was so nervous, and scampered away.

Harry chuckled as he strode to a shadowy booth in the far corner that no one ever occupied but him. He had an intimidating effect on the townsfolk here, but had done nothing to reverse this new reputation. It suited him, to be one person in private and another in public…and know it was not some personality disorder. Here, he was Hans Peters, a half-crazed hermit who lived on the outskirts of town by the sea. A man who people wondered if he even was human, or something of another world. A man who the children would call a legend; a contribution to town lore.

Harry watched the Granger family from across the restaurant. They were happily chatting and eating until Rose tried to avoid eating some kind of vegetable on her plate.

"Rose Hermione Weasley! Eat your greens right now!" Harry could hear Carol scold even through this joint's usual din. The full name caught Harry by surprise. Of course, Richard and Carol would use her middle name to honor their deceased daughter, but allow Rose to keep her father's surname, the name of a man they had never met but hated because of what he had done? It just seemed strange for them, but nevertheless Harry was grateful. With her flaming red hair, there was no question. Rose was a Weasley, through and through.

Just then, a conversation in a booth to his left caused him to divert his attention from his goddaughter.

"…always the way with those Muggles…" a man was saying.

"Muggles?" Harry murmured curiously. He didn't think the wizarding world's influence stretched this far beyond England, so he craned to hear.

"Yeah, this new Ministry of Magic in Europe is really more tolerant of people like them. Nutters, they are. Why, if it weren't for all these little attacks and revolts, the Aurors'd be making us buy those Muggle appliances and dress like them," a second man laughed.

"Hey, it could be worse. Best be grateful Harry Potter isn't around anymore sticking his nose into our way of life," chirped a third. The men hooted and vowed to drink to that, thank you very much. Harry laughed as well. The fools! They didn't realize Harry Potter was feet from them! Probably pureblood bigots, the lot of them!

"I'll have to admit though, I can really see things from Potter and his crew's perspective now," the first man confessed. "Here we are, having to fight for our version of what our world should be, just as they did. Those halfbloods, mudbloods and blood traitors had their hero. We have ours now. And, I've got to say, he emerged much more impressively than little Saint Potter did."

This was getting interesting. Harry silently used magic to block out the rest of the restaurant's noise to focus his sole attention on this one booth.

"So, I ask myself, who is this Cadmius Riddle, anyway?" the first man was saying.

 _Cadmius Riddle._ The name sent a chill through him. Harry leaned back into his booth. He wasn't going anywhere tonight. Not until he learned more about Cadmius Riddle.

Because, if Harry had a hunch, he knew full well who Cadmius probably was, even if these men couldn't see it.

Cadmius was probably the son of Voldemort.


	5. Chapter 5: The Next Great Prophecy

**Chapter 5: The next Great Prophecy**

Harry puttered back to his tower, still dazed from the conversation he had overheard in the pub. _Voldemort had a son… who could possibly defeat him?_ Harry hoped to God it wasn't him. He had had enough trouble for a lifetime.

The new realization made him pick up his pace, and he reached the watchtower in no time. He found his walkie-talkie and turned it on. Amazingly, it still worked. And though he knew no one could probably hear him, Harry began to call into it:

"Hello? Hello? This is Harry Potter. I have heard disturbing news! This is an emergency! Are there any wizards out there? Anyone? Anyone?"

It was hopeless. No one could possibly hear him….

* * *

Thousands of miles away, Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt was working at his desk. He scanned the paper, which chronicled the attacks orchestrated by Cadmius and his followers. They did damage, he could not pretend it wasn't so, but the Aurors had always managed to retaliate. And the Ministry was still secure, more than it had ever been, under him.

But would it last? Could it last? Folks whispered of how this Cadmius was Voldemort's son, and even more powerful than his father had ever been. And then there was that prediction from Sybill Trelawny…

Suddenly, he thought he heard a voice. Pulling out a desk drawer, he recovered a walkie-talkie, a souvenir he had plucked from the Battle of the Gryffindor Common Room. The device was working there was no question.

"This is Harry Potter….emergency…any wizards out there…anyone?" Kingsley froze. It couldn't be; Harry was dead, lost 5 years ago somewhere off the coast of Australia. But, he could only hope. So, he pressed the button and responded. "Harry Potter, can you hear me? Harry Potter, can you hear me?"

* * *

Harry couldn't believe it when a voice answered back: "Harry Potter, can you hear me? Harry Potter, can you hear me?" Harry seized the walkie-talkie.

"Kingsley?!"

"Yes, it's me! Ha, ha, it is you! You're alive!"

"Yes, I'm alive and I'm here Kingsley! I'm in Australia! I live on the coast and Rose, you remember her? Ron and Hermione's daughter? She's with her Muggle family, the Grangers!"

"What the bloody hell happened, mate? Everyone back here thinks you're dead!"

Harry didn't answer. Instead, he rapidly told Kingsley what he had learned. "I'm coming back home right now and shutting down this little Daddy's boy!" he vowed.

"No, Harry! Stay where you are. I order you to stay where you are! Stay with Rose. It is of every importance that you keep her safe. Do you understand, soldier?" Kingsley had always uttered that epithet whenever he had commanded Aurors in the Department back when that was his job.

Harry was confused. "Kingsley, I can come back! The Grangers can handle Rose for a few days, they've been doing it her whole life!"

"Harry, this is not about you! Rose cannot fall into the wrong hands, do you hear me?"

"Why is that so important?" Harry shot back.

Kingsley paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was low.

"There is a prophecy," he began. "A prophecy made by Professor Trelawny that speaks of Cadmius. But there is someone else involved as well. The prophecy goes like this:

 _From the loins of the Dark Lord, there shall appear_

 _A son whose name holds greater fear._

 _His reign of terror shall twist and bend_

 _O'er all magicdom and never end._

 _Until a half-blood comes to answer the call,_

 _Whose life began at the Dark Lord's fall._

 _This single life, 'mongst ceaseless death,_

 _Sprung from Muggle mother's final breath._

 _Born into Hell, conceived in strife_

 _'Tween which twas pureblood father's sacrifice._

 _And as for the victor, who shall it be:_

 _The new Heir of Slytherin, or this child, born of the Golden Three?_

Harry turned the words over in his mind. The prophecy was mysterious enough, ominous even. And it rhymed! His prophecy hadn't rhymed. But what did it have to do with…?

Then, it hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Are…are you saying the prophecy's talking about…Rose?"

"We think so, Potter," said Kingsley grimly.

"But…but…that's impossible! Rose can't defeat Cadmius; she's five years old, for Merlin's sake!"

"She's going to get bigger! Harry, think about it. _Whose life began at the Dark Lord's fall. This single life, 'mongst ceasless death…_ Rose was born during the Battle of Hogwarts the day Voldemort died, the only birth on the premises. People were screwing around and calling her the Girl Who Lived, remember that? _Sprung from Muggle mother's final breath…_ Hermione died giving birth to her. _'Tween which was pureblood father's sacrifice…_ Ron took a curse for his family from Bellatrix, if you recall, seeing as you were there. _Child born of the Golden Three_ … you, Ron and Hermione- it all fits! There's no one else this prophecy could refer to. After all, you never had any children, since Ginny didn't survive."

Harry felt a pang of longing at the mention of his dead girlfriend, Ron's sister. Only then did it occur to him how much Rose resembled her aunt, or at least, physical traits from her family.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just what I said: protect Rose - and Hermione's parents, too. Put up protection charms round the house, all that stuff. Lay low, but keep an eye out. If Cadmius gets wind of this prophecy, he'll stop at nothing 'till he finds Rose, if he's anything like his father. Be on your guard, soldier."

"Got it," Harry muttered.

"And, Harry?"

"What?"

"It's good to have you back."


	6. Chapter 6: Cadmius Arrives

**Chapter 6: Cadmius Arrives**

Several years had passed since Harry contacted Kingsley. Cadmius had yet to appear, though Harry now heard of him through shadow copies of the Daily Prophet that Kingsley would smuggle to him. Harry became more and more nervous with every new attack he read about. In each, he would look for clues to determine if Cadmius knew of the Second Great Prophecy, as Kingsley called it, and Rose's existence. Nothing seemed to indicate knowledge on either count.

One night, Harry was in his watchtower when he heard a familiar whoosing sound. It wasn't the wind. It was the sound of Apparition. Peering out the window, Harry could see figures on the beach, but he couldn't make them out.

"Lumos!" he heard several voices call, and all at once, wand lights brought the group further into focus. They were maybe 7 present, 6 in black cloaks and one mysteriously in red.

"You sure this is the right place, Cadmius…I mean, my Lord?" one figure asked, clearly turning to the man in red. Harry's blood ran cold at the name. _He's here. Oh, sweet baby Jesus, the psycho's here_.

"The one who threatens me is here, Dolohov." Cadmius hissed.

"How do you know that?" asked another black figure.

"I have my ways, Rodolphus. I have spent many months gathering all the information I can on her."

"Her?" asked Rodolphus, whom Harry guessed was Rodolphus Lestrange, in surprise.

"Yesss," hissed Cadmius. "She is raised by Muggle filth. They will give us no trouble. Soon, this half-blood child of the Golden Three shall be dead. Come."

Harry scrambled out of the watchtower and scaled a short outcropping until he was at the top of the cliff. He ran along it through the shadows, stealing glances at Cadmius and his followers as they strolled down the beach toward the Granger homestead. _Good thing they're not in a rush,_ thought Harry as he outstripped the band easily. _I may have enough time to warn the Grangers._

Harry was soon opposite the Granger homestead. Without even pausing, the Chosen One leapt across the expanse and landed lightly on a stretch of rooftop. Nothing was disturbed and he was not injured, thanks to some silent magic. Peeking in through a window, he could see Rose, sleeping in her bed peacefully. The light was still on as her grandfather read to her, unaware that she had nodded off. Richard soon noted this, however. He put the book away, kissed Rose's forehead and made to turn out the light. Before he could, however, Harry had silently climbed through the slightly ajar window and grabbed him from behind.

The old man did not even have time to call for help before Harry slapped a hand over his mouth. "It's me, Richard," Harry hissed, before letting him go. Richard wheeled around.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" he spat. "I told you to-"

"Stay off your land, I know," Harry said sharply. "Sorry, but this is an emergency," though he didn't seem sorry at all. "There is a very bad wizard and some mates of his coming towards your house as we speak. They want Rose."

Richard's eyes widened. "Not that bloody Voldy bloke? I thought he was dead!"

"Voldemort," Harry corrected him. "And, yes, he is dead; I killed him. But this is his son. He wants to kill Rose because she has the power to kill him."

"She's just a child!"

"This guy doesn't care, Richard! Don't you understand? He will kill you and her the same way his father did my parents!"

A crash from downstairs interrupted them. Voices reached their ears.

"Where is the child?" asked Cadmius.

"Not Rosie! Please, please, take whatever you want! Just not Rosie!" screamed Carol.

"Stand aside. Stand aside, woman!" Cadmius screeched. More sobs could be heard and then a blood-curdling scream. Rose didn't even stir. Richard made to run to his wife, but Harry held him back, and it took all of his concentration to speak in hushed tones.

"She can't be helped! She's dead!"

"No, she's not!" croaked Richard.

"She is! Believe me, I've heard the screams of the dying." Harry let him go and the old man turned back to him. "Where's your gun?" Harry demanded.

Richard paused before finally answering, "My bedroom. Down the hall, second door on the left. Rifle's in the corner. Cartridges in the nightstand. Top drawer." Harry nodded and took out the Invisibility Cloak.

"Get in the closet," he told Richard before throwing it over himself. Harry ran down the hall. From the banister, he spied Cadmius and his followers moving into the kitchen to search for Rose. Carol lay sprawled on the living room floor. Harry slipped into the Granger's bedroom and seized the gun and cartridges before smuggling them back to Rose's room under the cloak. Cadmius and his followers had not emerged from the kitchen yet as he passed the banister a second time.

Once back in his goddaughter's room, Harry yanked open the closet and threw the tools at Richard. The old man shut the door until it was ever so slightly ajar and the rifle barrel barely poking out .

"Whatever comes through that door, shoot on sight as soon as you see it. I don't care if it wakes Rose up. I can probably take care of the rest," Harry whispered. He flicked off the lamp and stood by Rose's bed as far away from the door as possible. He threw the Cloak back on.

Harry hoped to God his thrown-together plan would work, especially since his track record when it came to planning had never gone completely in his favor before. As he had once told Hermione, "We plan, we get there, all hell breaks loose!"

Silence stretched on and on and on. Harry was just beginning to wonder if Cadmius had left after grabbing a snack when-

 _Creak…._ Rose's door swung gently open. "Lumos!" Cadmius hissed. His wand barely had time to sweep the room and locate the sleeping girl when-

 _BANG!_ Richard fired from the closet, and a yelp of pain could be heard, followed by crashing feet and men shouting. Rose woke up immediately and started screaming. Finally, someone roared, "Lumos Maxima!" and the lamp by Rose's bedside flicked on.

Richard was standing halfway between the closet and door, his rifle cocked threateningly. After a moment, Cadmius limped past the doorframe and into view, holding his arm. He held no wand, which Harry spied on the floor slightly behind Richard. _Old man's a bloody good shot, he just hit the son of the Dark Lord,_ Harry thought, impressed, until he remembered who they were dealing with and that he himself had already witnessed Richard's shooting prowess.

Nobody spoke. Rose stared at Cadmius. "W-who are you?" the 9-year-old asked in a small voice. Cadmius turned to her and his grimace of pain turned into a triumphant smile.

"Why, my dear, I've come to take you away! I've been looking everywhere for you. You've been lost with these Muggles, and now you are found!"

Rose turned to Mr. Granger. "Is that true, Grandpa?" Before Richard could answer, Harry said "No, it's not!" and whipped off the Cloak.

Everyone stared at the man who had just appeared out of thin air in amazement. Rose went white.

"Mr. Peters?" she asked fearfully. Clearly, she had heard the town tall tales about the mysterious man who lived on the cliffs. Cadmius looked stunned. Then, he began to laugh.

"Why, boys, come here! We have an honored guest! Harry Potter has risen again from the dead!" The other Death Eaters laughed and pushed inside, straining to get a good look at the Boy Who Lived.

Harry just sneered. "It seems your research is poor, _my Lord_ , if you did not realize that I brought the girl here." He turned to Rose. "Rosie, come with me. We have to get you out of here; this man is going to hurt you. Your grandpa will hold them off. You can trust me; I was a best friend of your parents."

"Yes, a friend who rejected them in a time of need, my dear! Some 'best friend!'" Cadmius coaxed. He knelt down and beckoned to the girl. "Come to me. This man is lying; he does not care about you."

"That's not true, Rosie!" Harry quipped, almost talking over Cadmius.

"He has always hated you, my dear. He was enraged when he learned from your mother that she was pregnant. He thought you were in the way of his mission to murder my father…"

"Rosie, I don't hate you! Yes, I was mad at what your parents did, and maybe I didn't show my feelings in the best way, but I have never hated you!"

Rose's head swiveled from Harry to Cadmius in confusion.

"He missed your parent's wedding. He never let go of his resentment." Cadmius' grin widened and his voice softened. "Tell me…Rosie…would you like to see them? Would you like to see your Mummy and Daddy again?" His wand suddenly flew back into his hand and, at once, a shimmering image of Ron and Hermione appeared. Harry was reminded of seeing his parents in the Mirror of Erised while fighting Quirrell for the Sorcerer's Stone. "Together, you and I can bring them back…I have the power, Rosie…I am the greatest sorcerer in the world."

Harry could see that Rose was beginning to believe Cadmius. In one last desperate attempt, the Chosen One knelt so that he was eye-level with his goddaughter.

"Rose," he pleaded. "I have made some mistakes in my life. One of the biggest was not being more understanding of your parents' love for each other. I count that as one of the biggest regrets of my life. I have tried to make up for it all this time by watching you from afar. Your parents would not want to see you again up there…not just yet, because up there is where you're going if you side with this psychopath!" Tears stung his eyes. "I'm your godfather, and I love you. Come with me. Please."

Cadmius did not even try to refute this argument. He was so focused on Harry and the girl, that he did not remember to maintain his magic, so that the veneer of Ron and Hermione faded away.

And that was what did it.

"You liar!" Rose shouted at Cadmius.

"Kill her, my Lord!" screeched one of the Death Eaters.

Rose flew out of her bed to Harry, who promptly flung her behind him. Cadmius leapt forward to fire the Killing Curse. Richard desperately fired off a few rounds at him, but missed and hit some of Cadmius' men instead. Cadmius and Harry exchanged curses, until the former shot a jinx at his father's nemesis, knocking him to the ground and out of the way. More rounds from Richard until one of the Death Eaters screamed "Avada Kedavra!", killing the old man as Cadmius prepared to destroy Rose.

"NO!" godfather and goddaughter screamed in unison, though for different reasons. Cadmius let a jet of green light fly.

But it never hit the girl. Because a red light appeared out of thin air and met it in the middle. Priori Incantatem. Harry looked around as he came out of the jinx. No wizard still alive had apparently fired it, so it must have come from Rose. There was not a calm face in the room.

Then, spirits began to come out of the magic's center. Ghosts. Harry thought back to his encounter with Voldemort at the graveyard during the Triwizard Tournament.

Several of the Weasleys appeared. Ginny gave Harry a loving smile and blew a kiss to Rose. George and Fred called "You fight him, Rosie!" in unison. The Grangers followed. "Potter," Richard said. "Take care of her, will you?" Harry nodded. Finally, there came two faces Harry had missed every day for nearly a decade. Ron and Hermione. They flanked their only daughter.

"Rosie," Ron said. "In a few seconds, I want you to let go of the spell. What happens next happens. You'll be safe. The power will daze the Death Eaters for a moment, but only a moment, do you understand?"

"Go to your godfather. Go to Harry. He will get you out of here." Hermione promised. Harry raised his head. He had to say it now, because he had no idea when he'd be able to again.

"Ron! Hermione!" They turned to look at him. Harry began to cry. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. For everything."

"We're sorry, too, mate." Ron assured him.

Hermione smiled at him sadly. "We forgive you." She turned back to Rose. "Honey, you're ready. Let go. LET GO!"

Rose let go. The green curse hit her head-on. Yet, she raised herself up almost immediately. Harry saw what looked like a crescent moon on her cheek.

The Boy Who Lived lunged for Rose, and immediately Disapparated with her. Seconds later, the 2 surviving Death Eaters recovered to find their leader had disappeared. Cadmius was gone…for now.


	7. Chapter 7: Magic Training and Hogwarts

**Chapter 7: Magic Training and Hogwarts**

Harry flung curse after curse into the air. Through the haze, he could see Rose blocking each and every one with her mind.

He smiled. She had proven her magical talent over these last two years quite well, even without a wand. But that would come soon enough.

Following the disaster at the Granger homestead, Harry and Rose had buried her grandparents, wiped the memories of the local authorities and fled to South Africa. They lived on the coast, in a house much nicer than Harry's old watchtower. Life was comfortable. Soon, Rose would be going off to Hogwarts. Harry hoped that education, plus the early training he was giving her, would give her enough of an edge to defeat Cadmius when he returned, hopefully when she was a lot older.

He laughed as he sent a fireball Rose's way and she morphed it into the sand that crunched under their feet.

"Good girl!" he called. The magic ceased. "You're learning, Rosie. Amazing- just like your mother." Rose flashed him the same smile he had seen on Hermione's face countless times.

"I have an amazing teacher," she replied. The pair walked back toward their home.

"Enough for one day," Harry told her. "Let's get some lunch." As Harry prepared chicken parmesan, Rose's favorite, he watched as she picked up a photograph on the table. She stroked it gently.

"Mummy looks so beautiful in this picture. And Daddy's quite dashing."

"Yeah, in his hand-me-down, smelly dress robes from his Great-Aunt Tessie!" Harry laughed. "Boy, that Yule Ball holds so many memories just by itself."

Rose looked at him. "Is that when they fell in love?"

"What?"

"At the Yule Ball, when they went together."

Harry grinned. "Actually, they didn't go together. Your parents had a row cause your dad asked your mum to the ball simply out of a friends-with-benefits convenience, a 'last resort' as she put it. To top it all off, the Triwizard Champion from Durmstrang, Victor Krum – he was a hot-shot Bulgarian Quidditch player, Ron idolized him, ironically – asked her and she went with him. I have never, in my life, seen your Daddy so pissed. He just glared at them the rest of the night, didn't even dance with his date – he and I picked up a pair of twins, one of them was with us in Gryffindor and the other in Ravenclaw."

"So, when did they get together?" Rose asked.

"Not until seventh year, when we were running around trying to kill Voldemort. With Ron and Hermione and their feelings, it was like a bloody staring match – neither of them would blink first. Everyone else knew they had feelings for each other, _I_ knew but I wasn't about to get involved. I think your Uncles Fred and George had a betting pot going over when they'd get together."

Rose gaped, a smile tugging at her lips. "That's horrible!"

Harry shrugged. "Well, they finally caved one stormy night at Grimmauld Place…"

"…and out of that came me," said Rose quietly. There was a tiny silence before Harry nodded. He passed two bowls of chicken parmesan to the table.

"Bon appetite!" he joked. The pair had just finished eating when an owl flew through the window, a letter clutched in his talons. Rose looked to Harry, expecting him to get it, but her godfather didn't move.

"Open it," he mouthed to her with a smile. Rose slowly opened the letter and scanned the contents. She finally shrieked in excitement.

"Harry! I got into Hogwarts!" she cried.

"Good for you!" Harry laughed. "We have a lot to do before September 1st. Like move to England."

Rose looked up at him. "You're coming with me?"

"Not to school, no. But I want to at least be closer to you so you're not hopping an international flight every time you want to come home."

Rose smiled. "That's sounds great. We'd better get packing." So godfather and goddaughter scrambled about to sort all their belongings.


	8. Chapter 8: Victory at Last

**Chapter 8: Victory at Last**

When Harry got the owl, he left for Hogwarts from Ottery St. Catchpole immediately. He had been notified like this before a few years prior, when Cadmius had returned as promised, in the all the glory of his father before him.

But, now, a new war, The Third Wizarding War, had erupted over these last 3 years or so. As things progressively got worse, powerful wizards had come to him, begging the Boy Who Lived to get into the fight. Harry always resisted.

"It's not up to me anymore," he would say. "We have a new hope now."

Rose had managed to deliver as promised. With the help of her friends Teddy Lupin and Scorpius Malfoy, she had managed to defeat Cadmius in the Battle of Diagon Alley.

Now, evil was defeated for good, and the wizarding world was rejoicing in the Silver Trio's victory. A huge party was thrown at Hogwarts. Rose was to give a speech. She had just begun when Harry slipped into the back of the Great Hall.

"I want to thank you all for supporting me through this. I know everyone says I'm the Girl Who Lived, but I could not have done it without all of you." She paused impressively before continuing.

"It's a mysterious thing, time…and history. Sometimes they can repeat themselves. 17 years ago, in this very castle, my opponent's father was defeated in a horrific battle. My parents are Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, of the great Golden Trio of their generation. They gave their lives to save our world, and protect me. But, I don't think I would be standing here even then if it weren't for the help of one man. A man who helped raise me alongside my Muggle grandparents. A man who was my first teacher of magic. A man who may have been my uncle in another lifetime, if my Aunt Ginny had lived. A hero in his own right, my parent's best friend, my predecessor, my godfather, the Boy Who Lived-" here, she got emotional – "and the most amazing human being I have ever met: Harry Potter!"

A roar went up from the crowd, as they all turned to their world's first Savior. Harry, stunned that he was being acknowledged when he didn't want to be, was moved up to the podium at the front of the hall. He climbed the steps. Rose crossed to him and embraced him.

"Thank you," she hiccupped.

"For what?" Harry asked. She pulled away to look him in the face.

"For wanting me."

Ok, he couldn't keep it together after that. Godfather and goddaughter clung to each, sobbing. Everything had come back together, full circle, a loop.


End file.
